. . . . with Her Piano.
The Secret Piano: From Mao's Labor Camps to Bach's Goldberg Variations. Author: Zhu Xiao-Mei; Translator: Ellen Hinsey
Description
Zhu Xiao-Mei was born to middle-class parents in post-war China, and her musical proficiency became clear at an early age. Taught to play the piano by her mother, she developed quickly into a prodigy, immersing herself in the work of classical masters like Bach and Brahms. She was just ten years old when she began a rigorous course of study at the Beijing Conservatory, laying the groundwork for what was sure to be an extraordinary career. But in 1966, when Xiao-Mei was seventeen, the Cultural Revolution began, and life as she knew it changed forever. One by one, her family members were scattered, sentenced to prison or labor camps. By 1969, the art schools had closed, and Xiao-Mei was on her way to a work camp in Mongolia, where she would spend the next five years. Life in the camp was nearly unbearable, thanks to horrific living conditions and intensive brainwashing campaigns. Yet through it all Xiao-Mei clung to her passion for music and her sense of humor. And when the Revolution ended, it was the piano that helped her to heal. Heartbreaking and heartwarming, The Secret Piano is the incredible true story of one woman’s survival in the face of unbelievable odds—and in pursuit of a powerful dream.
I bought the ebook a while back (I paid $1.99; it's $0.99 today
). Anyway, for some reason, I didn't spring for the audio narration then. I sprang for it today--it's $1.99. Add $0.99 and $1.99 and you get
$2.98--that's the price that you can get the WS deal for today (ebook + audio narration + sync'ing benefit!).
The ratings for the ebook are great--4.3 stars (602) at Amazon; 3.92 (1,986) at GoodReads
Even if you forget the ebook and the sync'ing, you still have the Audible audiobook for
$2.98! What a deal!
Get the whole WS deal at
the Amazon webpage for the book.
My homily for the day (a repeat):
The book is a Kindle exclusive.
Amazon has rather quietly become a huge publisher, with boo koos (a colloquial American and British English word--probably a corruption of the French
beaucoup, meaning "many") of imprints.
We often think that good WS deals have almost dried up. They have--except for those of the Amazon imprints. No, you can't find some specific titles that you're interested in, but you can find WS deals beginning at $2.98 (and perhaps
less). If you're just interested in some good stuff to read, and especially to listen to,
I encourage you to sign up for the Kindle exclusives emails.